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Business Administration and Accounting

The Department of Business Administration and Accounting is one of the largest at Augustana College, attracting students who wish to enter the business world with a strong foundation in theory and practice. In response to an increasingly complex, sophisticated, and globally interconnected world, our curriculum provides a strong balance between the liberal arts, traditional business courses, and practical work experiences outside of class.

You have to know accounting. It's the language of practical business life. Double entry accounting was a heck of an invention.
— Charlie Munger, Berkshire Hathaway

At Augustana, you'll come to understand that little in the world of business remains the same. Tools, theories, and techniques evolve. Climates and assumptions are anything but static. The key to life-long contributions to a profession is life-long learning, and knowing how to learn. The liberal arts foundation of the Augustana business curriculum provides students with the ability to observe, listen, question, and analyze. The business curriculum provides the students with the specialized knowledge which informs their observations, listening, questioning, and analysis. When blended, the Liberal Arts and Business curriculums provide students with an understanding of business systems and the ability to take those systems beyond today.

I've always studied business. Even when I was a ball player, I'd read business journals and the business sections of newspapers.
— Magic Johnson, NBA alum; Philanthropist

Our students are excited, curious, and ambitious. It’s not uncommon for them to select an additional major to complement their study of business and accounting or to simply pursue an interest area. The choices are unlimited but examples include communication studies, international studies, psychology, philosophy, and Spanish. Students within our department have varied interest outside of class as well. You will find them active participants in athletics, music, student government, intramurals, and more. “In our department, you can do whatever your ability allows you to do,” says Professor Anne Oppegard.

The department offers three majors:

The traditional four-year Accounting program prepares students to enter the world of private accounting or pursue advanced graduate study.

Our 150-hour Professional Accountancy major meets state requirements for eligibility to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant exam and for membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

The Business Administration major prepares students for careers in business with an intentional commitment to the breadth and depth of a liberal arts education. Students can further their studies in one of six emphasis areas:

Augustana's 'Entertainment Tonight' Legacy Lives On
Before retiring, Augustana alumna Mary Hart served as co-host of TV's "Entertainment Tonight" for 29 years. Now, another Viking alumna has joined the ET crew: Jenny Brown, a Spanish and business administration major, is now working for the popular Hollywood news show.Learn to be a problem-solver, a clear communicator, a critical thinker, and an ethical business professional in the Department of Business Administration and Accounting at Augustana.